


Accept Me As I Am

by Idhren15



Series: Ace Week 2019 [5]
Category: Brave (2012)
Genre: ASEXUALITY IS REAL, Acceptance, Aro-Aces Are Awesome And Valid, Aromantic, Aromantic Asexual Merida, Aromantic Merida, Asexual Awareness Week, Asexual Character, Asexual Merida, Asexuality, Discussions of marriage, Elinor is understanding, Gen, I'm making that a tag, Merida swears, Mild Language, Post canon, a random noblewoman visits and she's a stuck up idiot, aceweek2019, asexual struggles, discussions of romance, people not understanding, this is set post movie, why aren't aroaces accepted they should be
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2020-10-28 05:21:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20773208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Idhren15/pseuds/Idhren15
Summary: "Married?" Merida manages to say, "Me? What aridiculousconcept!" Hadn't the lady heard of what happened the last time someone suggestedmarriageto her?A rather obnoxious guest makes comments about Merida's lack of romance. She isn't going to let those opinions stand.Written for day 5 of Ace Week 2019!





	Accept Me As I Am

**Author's Note:**

> Merida is my second favourite Disney princess, and she is so aro-ace I adore her. 
> 
> This is another short one but hope you like!

Merida sits down at the table, immediately digging in to the various meats available. She devours two drumsticks without pausing, her stomach empty and protesting after a day of riding. Elinor sighs and gives her a slightly annoyed look, but there's still a sparkle in the queen's eyes, and Merida just gives a cheeky grin in response.

Visiting Lady Becca, however, is less impressed.

She sits there, blonde hair almost as curly as Merida's but much less unruly, watching with pursed lips as Merida and her brothers clear their plates within the first ten minutes, and immediately request more. Waiting for more food does mean, however, that Merida no longer has eating food as an excuse to not talk to their rather pompous guest. Fighting back a sigh, she turns to the lady and raises an eyebrow, waiting for her to begin talking.

Becca clears her throat. "Are you usually so... famished?" she enquires.

Merida barely refrains from rolling her eyes. "I was out riding all day. So yeah, I'm famished."

She reaches for her drink just as Becca comments, "You're unlikely to find a man to marry you with manners like that."

Merida's brothers snort, and the girl herself almost chokes on her drink, spluttering liquid all over the table in further proof of her _manners like that_.

Elinor just sighs again.

"Married?" Merida manages to say, "Me? What a _ridiculous _concept!" Hadn't Lady Becca heard of what happened the last time someone suggested _marriage _to her?

"I understand you're unwilling, but you see, my brother-"

"Heck no," Merida exclaims, "I fought for my right to remain _my own_ two years ago, thank you very much. My stance on the matter hasn't changed."

Becca looks aghast. "You won't even consider...?"

"No," the redhead interjects, "It's not for me."

"Not even for the security of your, ah, tribe?" the lady presses.

Merida stands up, half-wondering why her parents haven't said anything yet. "It's not a _tribe_, and I don't need to marry for the security of my people," she snaps, "And I sure as heck aren't gonna let you shove your _brother_ at me."

Becca frowns. "How can you say that? You don't yet know him!"

"I don't need to bloody know him to know that I bloody well won't want to marry him," Merida yells, "I don't want to bloody marry anyone! So tell your brother he can take his bloody marriage proposal and _shove it up his a_-"

Elinor stands and coughs loudly, cutting off the rest of Merida's sentence. Her fists clench, face redder than her hair as she _fumes_.

"What my daughter means, Lady Becca, is that she is perfectly content as she is and will not even consider marriage. If that was the sole purpose of your visit, then I suggest you leave tomorrow."

Becca's eyes narrow. "Fine," she sniffs haughtily, "I just cannot comprehend why a young lady like your daughter will not even consider-"

"For the last bloody time, I'm not bloody interested," Merida spits, "I just don't work that way." She turns and storms out the hall, heading outside, almost colliding with the servant holding her brother's refilled dishes. All thoughts of food are gone as she breaks into a run, not stopping until she's outside, bare feet sinking into the soft grass. For a moment she pauses, relishing in the calm of nature, before she screams and punches a tree, all her frustrations coming out in that sharp cry.

"Why don't those stupid ladies understand?" she huffs; Lady Becca has not been the first to comment on Merida's lack of romance, and she doubts the lady will be the last.

"Just because they don't understand, doesn't mean there's something wrong with you," Elinor says, coming up behind her. Merida starts and turns around, cheeks flushed.

"Thanks," she says, "I, uh... I guess I should apologise for the way I spoke." Now she's free of the hall, she realises that _maybe_ she swore too many times. And her tone _definitely_ wasn't suited for guests.

But Elinor just smiles. "She had it coming. With the audacity to call us a _tribe_ as well! Merida, I don't care that you used such language. What I do care about is... is how angry and defensive you get whenever someone mentions marriage, or romance."

"I don't care about it," Merida mumbles.

"Clearly, you do, or it wouldn't bother you so much."

Merida folds her arms. "I just don't understand it. _Any_ of it. Love and intimacy and just..._ugh_." She shudders, grimacing. "It's not the way I work."

"I know," Elinor says, "And _I_ understand that."

"I just wish everyone else did, y'know? I wish that people could just accept that I don't feel that way, and I'm completely fine with it!"

Elinor rests a hand on her daughter's tense shoulder. "Not everyone is going to accept you, Merida. But we - _I_ \- accept you, just as you are."

Merida manages a smile. "Thank you. I guess... I guess that's enough, for now."

**Author's Note:**

> Didn't mean to make Merida rage so much but it happened anyway? The perks of being an author, lol. 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this! Thank you so much for reading; comments always welcome! :D 
> 
> Next up is one about a green-clad boy from one of my fave kids TV shows!


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